Andrew Card on George W. Bush ‘history will judge him better’

Summary: The former White House chief of staff discusses his admiration for the 43rd President of the United States and Obama’s appointment of William Daley as White House chief of staff.

Image provided by The Reid Report

“What I miss the most about being chief of staff is the information I have…I found the information to be scary,” Andrew Card said today. Though he has served under three U.S. Presidents, Card is best known for delivering to news of the attack on the World Trade Center building to President Bush while he was reading “My Pet Goat” to a group of second grade students.

“I decided to tell him two facts,” Card said “a second plane hit the second tower, America is under attack.” Card describes the situation as the only time a chief of staff speaks to a president during an event. “Its rare for me to walk into the room after the President walks in.”

Card said that the Bush administration is misunderstood and that history will judge it better.

“He lead with Presidential courage,” Card said of George W. Bush.

Card spoke to senior executive producer and political editor Steve Scully during an interview joined by students from George Mason University, Perdue University and the University of Denver.

When asked about his opinion of Obama’s appointment of William Daley, Card said, “I do not believe that Congress should second-guess the President decision to hire an assistant,” he said, “yes he (Daley) is from the Chicago crowd..but he brings a good vision to the office.”

A native of Holbrooke Massachusettes, Andrew Card’s record of public service began in the Massachusettes House of Representatives from 1975-1983.   Card served under the Reagan and both Bush’s Administrations. He was the Secretary of Transportation for George H.W. Bush from 1992-1993 and chief of staff to George W. Bush from 200-2006.

Card recently joined the business advisory board of Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics, and adult stem cell technology company.